ServieNow CIS - Discovery

To find infrastructure components and update the CMDB with discovered data.

A reusable set of instructions used to identify, classify, and populate CIs.

Creating, testing, debugging, and maintaining Discovery patterns.

A logical group of pattern steps that performs one part of discovery.

A single instruction inside a pattern section.

The action performed by a pattern step, such as matching or parsing data.

Checks whether collected data matches expected text or values.

Extracts a value from collected data and stores it in a variable.

Reads file content so values can be extracted and used by the pattern.

A temporary value used while a pattern runs.

A field value stored on a CI record.

Finding, matching, or extracting text from command output or files.

Capturing part of a match so it can be reused or stored.

A pattern section used to determine whether the correct CI or application has been found.

A pattern section used to connect to a target component or application.

The process of recognizing an application from discovered evidence.

The method used to extract useful values from collected data.

To confirm the pattern collects and maps the expected data.

Failed steps, missing values, bad parsing, and connection issues.

It can match the wrong text or fail when output changes slightly.

Accurate CI attributes and relationships discovered from the target.

A defined connection between two CIs.

Connection sections, identification sections, credentials, and parsing results.

The pattern did not collect, parse, or map the needed value.

Output from the target system for parsing or identification.

OS differences, credentials, command output, and target configuration.

To turn raw text into usable CI attributes or relationships.

Credentials, network access, port availability, or target configuration.

A Java application that runs inside the network and exchanges data with the instance.

It runs discovery activity from inside the customer network.

Moves work requests and results between the instance and MID Servers.

What to scan, when to scan it, and which MID Server or behavior to use.

The network addresses included in a Discovery scan.

A configuration that controls how Discovery runs against selected targets.

Mapping ports and protocols to services that help classify targets.

Authenticating to a target so deeper discovery can run.

Remembering which credential worked for a target to improve future runs.

Deeper identification and exploration of the target.

Determining the general type of target that was found.

Matching discovered data to an existing CI or deciding a new CI is needed.

Collecting detailed attributes and relationships after the target is identified.

Port scan, Classification, Identification, and Exploration.

Open ports are detected to determine possible services.

Tracking information about a device found during Discovery.

The progress and result of a Discovery run.

A recorded problem that occurred during a Discovery run.

Identification data is missing, inconsistent, or not matched correctly.

Credential validity, credential order, network access, and target permissions.

The MID Server is available to process work.

A grouped set of MID Servers for load balancing or failover.

Distributing Discovery work across available MID Servers.

Providing backup processing if the preferred MID Server is unavailable.

Firewalls, closed ports, bad credentials, or unreachable targets.

Credentials, open ports, classification, and exploration errors.

Finding where the Discovery process failed or returned unexpected data.

To reduce risk, avoid noise, and scan only approved ranges.

The database of configuration items and their relationships.

A configuration item tracked in the CMDB.

A category of CI with its own fields and behavior.

Viewing and managing CI classes, attributes, and relationships.

Child CI classes inherit fields from parent classes.

The base table for configuration items.

The table that stores CI relationships.

CMDB completeness, correctness, and compliance indicators.

The process of matching incoming data to the correct CI.

A rule that defines how a CI is uniquely recognized.

Controlling which data sources can update CI attributes.

The ranking that decides which source wins when multiple sources update the same attribute.

Finding and resolving duplicate CI records.

Moving a CI from one class to a more appropriate class.

Planning and validation needed before a Discovery implementation or expansion.

Network placement, capacity, permissions, firewall access, and high availability needs.

It affects reachability, performance, and which targets can be scanned.

Approval, ownership, firewall rules, credentials, and expected targets.

Discovery needs valid access to classify, identify, and explore targets.

It gives visibility into coverage, errors, results, and operational health.

Accurate infrastructure visibility for operations, service mapping, and CMDB quality.

To align scanning with business goals, ownership, risk, and network boundaries.

Schedules, credentials, dashboards, error handling, and support ownership.

Making Discovery part of regular monitoring, maintenance, and CMDB governance.